Freedom of Information

All citizens have a right to know what Gateshead Council is doing, how we are doing it and how to take part. You already have a right to access some of the information produced by the council. This includes the right to attend most meetings, with access to most of the agendas, reports, minutes and background papers of these meetings and our forward plan.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 extends your rights and requires us to produce a Publication Scheme detailing the information that we publish regularly.

The Act came into force on 1 January 2005.

See also: Re-use of Public Sector Information.

What is a publication scheme?

A publication scheme is a text document describing the many different types of information published by the council in a clear and structured way. Information is classified by type, saving you time and effort by making it easier for you to find what you want.

It is not a full list of all our publications, because these change all the time. We are developing lists of publications currently available under each heading to make the scheme even easier to understand.

Contact us to request a printed copy.

What about information that isn't listed in the publication scheme?

From January 2005 you have a general right of access to different types of information held by the council. This right covers information recorded in any form and obtained from any source, not just documents published by the council.

Access requests must be made in writing and include the requestor's name and an address for correspondence (an email address is sufficient). 

Public authorities like the council must respond to requests within 20 working days confirming:

• whether any information is held;
• a copy of all information that can be released;
• the exemptions applying to any information withheld.

Why can the council withhold information?

The act is one of a number of national policies to modernise government and encourage more open and accountable decision making but there are some exemptions to the right of access.

The council can withhold information like details of legal proceedings, information provided in confidence or covered by the Data Protection Act 2018.

For requests made after January 2005 we do not have to provide information if the cost of locating and retrieving it is £450 or more and we can refuse requests from anyone who repeatedly asks for the same or similar information.

Can I access a deceased person's records?

As the GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018 only apply to living individuals, an application for access to a deceased person's records held by the council maybe made pursuant to the FOIA 2000.  Please see the accessing a deceased person's records webpage for guidance if you are considering an application of this nature. 

Further Information

If you have any questions about your rights under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 please contact the Council's Information Rights Officer.

You can also get information leaflets and advice from the documents available to download below.

External links

• Campaign for Freedom of Information's website (opens new window)
• Information Commissioner's Office (opens new window)